Prince William and Kate continue their mental health work in Wales

November 20, 2015

Prince William and Kate have returned to their old stomping grounds for a string of engagements related to a cause they've long championed: mental health in youth. The Duchess of Cambridge and her husband met with various organizations on Friday (Nov. 20) in northern Wales.

The couple received a warm welcome from locals as the first engagement of the day took them to Castle Square in Caernarfon. The royals, who were greeted by children waving Welsh flags, had arrived by private helicopter.

The Duke and Duchess visited a photography project run by the charity Mind, an initiative that would be of particular interest to artsy Kate, who is a keen shutterbug. The project, entitled "Mute: Are You Being Heard?," offers young people a voice to talk about the challenges of living with mental health problems.

Earlier this week, Kate made a rare public speech in which she outlined her reason for supporting mental health causes. Prince George and Princess Charlotte's mom admitted that while she was "lucky" to have a "wonderful and secure childhood," not all children are.

While in Caernarfon, William and Kate also saw the work of GISDA, a charity that provides support to homeless youth. The visit will have struck a chord with 33-year-old William, who is a patron of homelessness charity Centrepoint.

TAP TO ENLARGE IMAGEWilliam and Kate will carry out five engagements related to mental health and young people in Wales.

The next engagement will take William and Kate to an Outdoor Education Centre in Snowdonia run by Mountain Rescue England and Wales, of which the Prince is also a patron.

While at the centre the couple will meet young people from a local school who have all undertaken anti-stigma and discrimination training to increase their awareness of how to face mental health problems among their peers.

The couple's busy day will culminate with a visit to the historic market town of Denbigh, where William and Kate will shine a spotlight on the mental health and well-being of young men. The royals will hear about the work of the Men's Shed movement – a nationwide initiative that is recognized for helping thousands of men across the U.K.

The duke and duchess will also be treated to a performance by the Musical Meatballs in Mind choir.

Mental health is an issue that William and Kate have been championing for years. The duchess, in particular, has been focusing her recent engagements around the delicate subject and marked her return from maternity leave in September with a visit to the Anna Freud centre, which promotes mental health in children.

"I often get asked why I decided to spend time highlighting the mental health of children. My answer might be similar to many of yours. I was lucky," the doting mom said earlier this week. "My parents and teachers provided me with a wonderful and secure childhood where I always knew I was loved, valued and listened to, but of course many children are not so lucky."

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